Joe Saunders of the Angels taking warm-up tosses between innings at last night's game in Philadelphia.If Eric Bruntlett had curbed his aggressive base-running instincts in the 7th, Brett Myers never would have made it out for the fatal eighth. But Bruntlett was thrown out at 2nd and the inning ended. Both starters kept it a fast-paced game through seven, with Myers giving up only three hits. Two of them, alas, were solo homers to Phillies Killer Vlad the Bad, who has homered more times (31? 32?) against the Phillies than any other active player. And he's now in the AL! The Phillies came back to tie the game at 2 in the 7th but Bruntlett, playing for the slumping Utley, ran them out of a potential go-ahead run. With 2 out in the 8th, Myers gave up a single to Chone Figgins (love the name, the player), then a silly 2-run homer that just cleared the right field pole to the light-hitting Erick Aybar, a 2nd-inning replacement for injured shortstop Maicer Izturis. Another error by So Taguchi allowed the Angels to tack on two more in the 9th. Taguchi is turning defensive replacement into an oxymoron. I keep trying to find some words of praise for this guy, but he's been brutal in the field and at the plate.
Of course, if the offense had been anywhere in sight, the sell-out crowd of 45,000+ at Citizens Bank Park would have been a lot happier. Instead, the slump continues and it's salvage time again. Two lanky guys with hair match up today. I'd take Hamels over Weaver, but Hamels has already been burned several times this season by spluttering offensive support. Go, Phillies!
